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Mar Vista Elementary

Q: Is Mar Vista Elementary a good school?

Mar Vista Elementary ranks 3251 st of 5817 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-7

3251^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,817 California Elementary Schools

Better than 44% of California elementary schools

Summary

Mar Vista Elementary is a K–7 school in Aptos, serving 270 students in Pajaro Valley Unified. In 2025–26, its all-grades results were above its district’s in English language arts (ELA), math and science, but below California’s in all three. The main concern for families comparing nearby schools is that Mar Vista had the lowest ELA and math results among the nine nearby schools with reported all-grades scores.

Mar Vista’s strongest comparison is with its district: 43% of students were proficient in ELA, compared with 28% districtwide; math was 31%, versus 18%; and science was 31%, versus 19%. But all three results trailed the state, where proficiency was 49% in ELA, 38% in math and 36% in science. Nearby schools averaged about 55% in ELA, 46% in math and 43% in science. Mar Vista was second-lowest in nearby science results, making that subject a relative bright spot. Grade-level results show a sharper split: fourth-grade math proficiency was 18%, below both the state’s 42% and the district’s 18%, while sixth-grade math reached 44%, above the state’s 37% and the district’s 19%.

Over time, math has weakened most: proficiency fell from 41% in 2022–23 to 31% in 2025–26, and Mar Vista shifted from 7 points above the state to 7 points below it. ELA was nearly flat across those years, while science rose by 9 points, though it fluctuated along the way. SchoolDigger ranked Mar Vista at the 44th percentile in 2025–26, with 2 stars, unchanged from the prior year and below its 59th-percentile standing in 2021–22. Its 2024–25 student–teacher ratio was 17.8, tied for the lowest among nearby schools with reported figures; 54% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible in 2024–25. SchoolDigger’s 2025–26 statewide ranking for White Students was at the 14th percentile, well below the school’s 44th-percentile overall ranking, and had fallen from the 27th percentile in 2023–24. Seventh-grade ELA and math results are suppressed, and nearby schools serve different grade spans, so comparisons do not always cover the same grades.

270

Students ?

17.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$31,171

Per pupil spending ?

54.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in California receive free school meals.

≥ 95%

Kindergartners with all required immunizations (2024-25)

6860 Soquel Dr.
Aptos, CA 95003-3225

(831) 761-6177

District: Pajaro Valley Unified

Students who attend Mar Vista Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Aptos Junior High
High:	Aptos High

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.4%

Hispanic:

37.8%

Two or more races:

6.7%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Mar Vista Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 77th percentile in 2015 → 44th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (37% vs 42% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 33 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school37%

District avg22%

California avg42%

3,251^st of 5,817

California public elementary schools ?

Bottom 44%▼ down 27 pts since 2016

From top 29% (2016) to bottom 44% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 19Elementary Schools in the Pajaro Valley Unified

1255^th of 1,530Pajaro Valley Unified among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	39.7	3251 of 5817	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	39.2	3271 of 5857	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.7	3138 of 5869	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.5	2505 of 5859	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.7	2407 of 5883	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	47.5	2733 of 5789	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.1	2712 of 5662	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	61.2	1960 of 5692	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	68.0	1613 of 5614	71.3%	★★★★☆
2015	75.1	1317 of 5611	76.5%	★★★★☆
2013	68.6	1643 of 5530	70.3%	★★★★☆
2012	76.3	1213 of 5390	77.5%	★★★★☆
2011	68.1	1576 of 5377	70.7%	★★★★☆
2010	69.9	1461 of 5314	72.5%	★★★★☆
2009	78.7	1061 of 5193	79.6%	★★★★☆
2008	62.8	1740 of 5113	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2007	61.7	1737 of 5113	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	67.8	1433 of 4818	70.3%	★★★★☆
2005	62.2	1652 of 4822	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2004	52.6	2030 of 4809	57.8%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	58.3	628 of 2227	71.8%	★★★★☆
2019	63.7	635 of 2585	75.4%	★★★★☆
2018	47.4	841 of 2128	60.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	35.2	3471 of 5581	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	50.7	2420 of 5597	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	42.4	2902 of 5612	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	59.2	1986 of 5609	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.8	1940 of 5635	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.8	2237 of 5492	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.6	2340 of 5413	56.8%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	34.0	3436 of 5094	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	30.8	3706 of 5107	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.6	3701 of 5107	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	51.3	2164 of 5087	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.4	3110 of 5084	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.7	3269 of 4963	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.5	3038 of 4830	37.1%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	36.6	3456 of 5423	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.9	3273 of 5460	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.9	3300 of 5517	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.8	3082 of 5363	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.1	3164 of 5264	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	25.4	4197 of 5173	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.6	3577 of 5084	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	40.2	3122 of 5603	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.8	4035 of 5628	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	39.1	3127 of 5643	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.3	2851 of 5638	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.9	2662 of 5663	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	39.3	3080 of 5510	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.5	2949 of 5431	45.7%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	53.9	862 of 2635	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.7	514 of 2420	78.8%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	17.7	2183 of 2536	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.3	1986 of 2598	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.7	1942 of 2651	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.2	1856 of 2661	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.6	1665 of 2726	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.0	1909 of 2834	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	34.0	1981 of 2737	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Disabled (2022)72nd percentile+13 vs school

Special Education (2024)67th percentile+21 vs school

Male (2026)44th percentile~ school

Female (2026)38th percentile-6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)36th percentile-8 vs school

Hispanic (2026)33rd percentile-12 vs school

White (2026)14th percentile-30 vs school

By subject vs California (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy43%-6 vs state

Mathematics31%-7 vs state

Science31%-5 vs state

★

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Schools Near Mar Vista Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)							Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)							Vaccination (2024-25)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners with all required immunizations	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mar Vista Elementary	Public	K-7	6860 Soquel Dr.	Aptos	95003	Santa Cruz County	Pajaro Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 761-6177	270	15	17.8	54.1%	136 (50.4%)	1 (0.4%)	102 (37.8%)	9 (3.3%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.1%)	18 (6.7%)	39.7	3251^st of 5817 public elementary schools	44.1%		39.2	3271^st of 5857 public elementary schools	44.2%	20	31.3		31.3	38.5	40.0	43.8	46.2			43.5	35.9	17.5	31.3	44.0			31.3	≥ 95%		$31,171	$28,424	$2,747
Valencia Elementary	Public	K-6	250 Aptos School Rd.	Aptos	95003	Santa Cruz County	Pajaro Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 728-7836	487	24	20.2	37.0%	303 (62.2%)	0 (0.0%)	148 (30.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (6.6%)	75.9	1333^rd of 5817 public elementary schools	77.1%		78.3	1225^th of 5857 public elementary schools	79.1%	108	57.8		57.8	42.9	61.9	67.2	69.2			61.8	41.7	50.8	47.6	62.3			51.8	≥ 98%		$25,969	$23,966	$2,003
Main Street Elementary	Public	K-5	3400 North Main St.	Soquel	95073	Santa Cruz County	Soquel Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 464-5650	383	17	23.2	24.8%	234 (61.1%)	3 (0.8%)	105 (27.4%)	8 (2.1%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	29 (7.6%)	74.6	1382^nd of 5817 public elementary schools	76.2%		66	1788^th of 5857 public elementary schools	69.5%	406	57.1		57.1	63.6	54.2	64.3				60.2	56.8	48.6	47.1				50.0	90%	0%	$17,658	$17,192	$466
Soquel Elementary	Public	K-5	2700 Porter St.	Soquel	95073	Santa Cruz County	Soquel Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 464-5655	337	15	22.0	40.1%	132 (39.2%)	6 (1.8%)	160 (47.5%)	14 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	22 (6.5%)	43.4	3025^th of 5817 public elementary schools	48.0%		49.7	2611^th of 5857 public elementary schools	55.4%	414	26.9		26.9	51.5	43.1	36.5				44.4	45.5	36.5	23.1				35.9	94%	0%	$19,611	$19,026	$585
Rio del Mar Elementary	Public	K-6	819 Pinehurst Dr.	Aptos	95003	Santa Cruz County	Pajaro Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 728-7838	393	19	20.5	22.1%	249 (63.4%)	2 (0.5%)	88 (22.4%)	13 (3.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (9.9%)	70.3	1565^th of 5817 public elementary schools	73.1%		74.9	1374^th of 5857 public elementary schools	76.5%	191	43.1		43.1	44.7	51.0	54.9	74.2			57.4	56.5	37.3	51.0	66.1			53.3	96%	0%	$27,589	$25,740	$1,849
Mountain Elementary	Public	K-6	3042 Old San Jose Rd.	Soquel	95073	Santa Cruz County	Mountain Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 475-6812	143	8	17.8	14.7%	97 (67.8%)	1 (0.7%)	26 (18.2%)	6 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (9.1%)	88.9	707^th of 5817 public elementary schools	87.8%		83.1	1009^th of 5857 public elementary schools	82.8%	302	59.1		59.1	63.6	90.0	63.6	83.3			73.7	76.2	75.0	54.6	58.3			66.7	81%	0%	$38,274	$36,518	$1,756
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary	Public	K-5	8005 Winkle Ave.	Santa Cruz	95065	Santa Cruz County	Soquel Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 464-5670	214	9	24.3	30.4%	113 (52.8%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (38.3%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (7.5%)	55.6	2294^th of 5817 public elementary schools	60.6%		53.2	2414^th of 5857 public elementary schools	58.8%	120	38.5		38.5	53.9	43.8	57.7				51.6	47.5	34.4	36.0				40.2	92%	0%	$18,864	$18,084	$780
Live Oak Elementary	Public	K-5	1916 Capitola Rd.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Live Oak Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 475-2000	362	15	24.1	58.6%	90 (24.9%)	5 (1.4%)	252 (69.6%)	7 (1.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	46.2	2841^st of 5817 public elementary schools	51.2%		35.7	3527^th of 5857 public elementary schools	39.8%	686	32.3		32.3	58.0	40.8	38.5				45.1	68.0	28.6	20.0				37.2	≥ 98%
Ocean Alternative Education Center	Public	K-8	984 Bostwick Ln. Ste. 6	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Live Oak Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 475-0767	76	4	21.5	47.4%	40 (52.6%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (31.6%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (14.5%)								(n/a)		33.3	36.4						44.4	47.2				27.3		16.7	32.1
Tierra Pacifica Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	986 Bostwick Ln.	Santa Cruz	95062	Santa Cruz County	Tierra Pacifica Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(831) 462-9404	0			—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)																		≥ 95%

Frequently Asked Questions about Mar Vista Elementary

What district is Mar Vista Elementary in?

Pajaro Valley Unified

What is the racial makeup of Mar Vista Elementary?

Students at Mar Vista Elementary are 50% White, 38% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of Mar Vista Elementary attend?

Students who attend Mar Vista Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Aptos Junior High
High : Aptos High

Is Mar Vista Elementary a good school?

Mar Vista Elementary ranks 3251^st of 5817 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Mar Vista Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 270 students attended Mar Vista Elementary.

Rate Mar Vista Elementary!

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Schools in Aptos, CA

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Latest California data All new data »

2013–14 through 2024–25 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 15, 2026

2025–26 CAST, CSA Spanish & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresNewOct 15, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.